Garie Beach

Cheapest way to go to the great barrier reef from melbourne?

OK heres whats up me and my mate are going to be in melbourne he wants to go to the great barrier reef he found a package for 500$ What i wanna know if theres anyway cheaper to go? All we wanna do is chill at the reef. Any ideas? Thanks

Public Comments

1. See if you can get a flight with Virgin Blue - off peak say Tuesdays - Melbourne to Cairns straight through on a Tuesday for $239.00 a Blue Saver - cheapest seat Melbourne to Cairns straight through on a Friday if $209.00 a Blue Saver - cheapest seat Must be an end of Holiday special. You have to book online at http://www.virginblue.com.au/ These prices are for one person one way. Good Luck!!!
2. depends what the package includes? Is that flights? Accom? Diving? What does the 500 cover? If you want to be really close to the reef then you probably need to stay on one of the whitsunday island s and thats not cheap. The reef isn't really just swimming distance from the mainland
3. As you may or may not be aware, the great barrier reef is a huge area. Generally speaking no one "chills out' at the barrier reef. Rather they go to a location that is near the reef. A lot of the places along the coast can be two hours by boat to the reef. So there are plenty of places to head where you can chill out though. Generally avoid going anywhere north of Townsville, because you don't really get beaches in far north queensland, but mudflats. Sure there are plenty of islands off the coast, but you will find that to go to them it will cost more. I would recommend the Whitsundays. You can get a good combination of everything you need. Including cheaper accomodation on the coast, plus you can head off to the islands for a day trip or a day or two. Package deals sometimes can be good, but sometimes if you do all the research yourself you can get a much better deal. You might try some other places, townsville is a reasonably sized city, and you can go to Magnetic Island to chill on the beach there.
4. http://www.jetstar.com/ Jet star have friday frenzy between 4pm and 8 pm and often have some good prices for flights. From Cairns you have a big choice of trips out to the reef http://www.quicksilver-cruises.com/ This is just one of many
5. The best way is to take a flight from Melbourne to Cairns and a daytrip from there to the Great Barrier Reef. http://www.yukiba.com/250-cairns-australia-oceania-trip.html
6. The cheapest way is to not go at all. I live near the GBR and its nothing special. The water is murky you can't take your own snorkelling gear and the stuff thats supplied is crap. If i was you I would rather be in Melbourne. Melbourne knocks the socks off of the GBR anyday, anyplace, anytime. Not joking.. Get with it.
7. Another backpacker who hasn't researched. The cheapest way from Melbourne to The Reef is to hitchhike. Make sure you watch Wolf Creek before you leave. When you get up north, you can just camp out (chill out?) on the banks of any river. Just make sure you watch Black Water and/or Rogue before you do.